Women’s clothing catalog business Appleseed’s makes push in retail

Julie Onufrak

Thursday

Sep 25, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 25, 2008 at 5:06 AM

It has been 62 years since Appleseed’s was founded in Beverly, and about 12 years since the women’s clothing retailer closed 17 retail stores – including a successful one in Cohasset – and became mainly a catalog business.

It has been 62 years since Appleseed’s was founded in Beverly, and about 12 years since the women’s clothing retailer closed 17 retail stores – including a successful one in Cohasset – and became mainly a catalog business.

Now, Appleseed’s is back in the retail store business, with 10 so far in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. The company began opening stores again in 2003 with shops in Acton and Westwood. And with the grand opening of a roomy, colorful store in Hanover, the company is hoping to pick up where it left off with South Shore shoppers.

“We love this village center kind of atmosphere,” Susan D’Angelo, the company’s director of store operations, said of the new location in the Merchants Row mall on Washington Street. “We wanted to put a store where we’ve had a strong customer base.”

The seven other Appleseed’s stores in Massachusetts – including two outlets – had left a hole between Westwood and Mashpee, so the Hanover store is meant to fill that hole.

Appleseed’s sells updated classics for baby boomers, with an emphasis on basics like sweaters, T-shirts and corduroys in every color of the rainbow. “It’s for a customer who wants to look good, but also wants things to fit well,” said D’Angelo. “It’s not so fashion-forward that it changes with what’s on the runway.”

The new store, which at 3,200 square feet is slightly larger than the average Appleseed’s shop, had a soft opening for friends and family on Sept. 11 and opened to the public the following day.

The store is near the Mediterranean-fare Cedar Cafe and upscale women’s clothing boutique Essentials of Hanover.

Appleseed’s, which is still based in Beverly, hopes to open four to six more stores next year.

“Now that I’m 60, I have a hard time finding clothes that fit me,” said customer Martha Litchfield, who lives in Scituate and remembers the old store in Cohasset. “I like the styles, I like the fit, and I like the personal attention. They were right there, knocking on the door, seeing if I needed a different size.”

D’Angelo said that so far, business has been steady, with midday rushes as people stop in on their lunch breaks. She expects the number of shoppers to increase as more learn about the new location, which is difficult to see from the road. “We have a very loyal customer who is a consistent shopper,” she said.

Julie Onufrak may be reached at jonufrak@ledger.com.

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